Agni Purana — Vastu-Pratishtha & Isana-kalpa, Shloka 5
Śānti-Śodhana-Kathana (Instruction on the Purification of Śānti) — Agni Purāṇa, Adhyāya 87
व्योमव्यापिने व्योमव्याप्यरूपाय सर्वव्यापिने शिवाय अनन्ताय अनाथाय अनाश्रिताय ध्रुवाय शाश्वताय योगपीठसंस्थिताय नित्ययोगिने ध्यानाहारायेति द्वादशपादानि पुरुषः कवचौ मन्त्रौ वीजे विन्दूपकारकौ अलम्बुषायसानाड्यौ वायू कृकरकर्मकौ
vyomavyāpine vyomavyāpyarūpāya sarvavyāpine śivāya anantāya anāthāya anāśritāya dhruvāya śāśvatāya yogapīṭhasaṃsthitāya nityayogine dhyānāhārāyeti dvādaśapādāni puruṣaḥ kavacau mantrau vīje vindūpakārakau alambuṣāyasānāḍyau vāyū kṛkarakarmakau
„Verehrung Śiva, der den Himmel durchdringt, dessen Gestalt selbst allgegenwärtig ist wie der Himmel, der alles durchdringt; dem Unendlichen, dem Beschützer der Schutzlosen, dem Unabhängigen, dem Unwandelbaren, dem Ewigen; Ihm, der auf dem Yogapīṭha gegründet ist, dem stets Verbundenen (nitya-yogin), dessen ‘Nahrung’ die Versenkung (dhyāna) ist.“ Dies sind die zwölf „Füße“ (pāda) des Puruṣa. Zwei werden als Kavacas und Mantras verwendet; die zwei Samen-Silben (bīja) heißen „bindu“ und „upakāraka“. Ferner werden die zwei Nāḍīs Alambuṣā und Yaśā sowie die zwei Vāyus (Prāṇa) und Kṛkara mit ihren jeweiligen Funktionen gelehrt.
Lord Agni (instructing Sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purāṇa’s didactic dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Tantra","secondary_vidya":"Mantra","practical_application":"Use as a protective kavaca-mantra set for Śaiva yoga practice; integrates mantra-pādas, bīja usage, and subtle-body mapping (nāḍī–vāyu) for disciplined meditation and protection.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Śiva-kavaca: Dvādaśa-pāda mantra, bīja (Bindu/Upakāraka), nāḍī (Alambuṣā/Yaśā), vāyu (Prāṇa/Kṛkara)","lookup_keywords":["kavaca","dvādaśa-pāda","bīja","Alambuṣā nāḍī","Kṛkara vāyu"],"quick_summary":"A twelve-part Śiva mantra is presented as kavaca, with notes on seed-syllables and subtle physiology (nāḍīs and vāyus) to support yogic protection and steadiness in meditation."}
Dosha: Tridosha
Alamkara Type: Anuprāsa (soft repetition of vyoma-vyāpi / sarva-vyāpi sounds)
Concept: Śiva as vyoma-vyāpin (space-like all-pervasion) is internalized through mantra-kavaca; subtle-body channels and winds are auxiliary supports for yogic steadiness.
Application: Recite the twelve pādas as a protective circuit (kavaca) before/after dhyāna; pair with breath awareness and a seated posture (yoga-pīṭha) to stabilize attention.
Khanda Section: Puja-vidhi / Mantra-kavacha (Śaiva-yoga protective formulas)
Primary Rasa: Shanta
Secondary Rasa: Adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A yogin seated on a yoga-pīṭha within a protective aura formed by twelve mantra segments; subtle nāḍīs drawn as luminous channels and vāyus as flowing currents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural: meditating Śaiva yogin, dark indigo ‘vyoma’ background, twelve petal-like mantra panels around him, glowing nāḍī lines (Alambuṣā, Yaśā) and wind-stream motifs for prāṇa and kṛkara, temple-lamp ambience","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore: central Śiva or jyoti-liṅga above a seated yogin, thick gold aura segmented into twelve mantra-pādas, embossed bīja symbols (bindu mark) in gold, rich ornamental borders","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style: clean instructional visualization—yogin on seat, labeled nāḍīs and vāyus, twelve mantra lines in a circular diagram, soft colors and precise detailing","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature: ascetic in a quiet garden pavilion, translucent halo inscribed with twelve phrases, delicate anatomical-style nāḍī tracings, fine calligraphy for bīja terms"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Darbari Kanada","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ध्यानाहारायेति = ध्यानाहाराय + इति; सूक्ष्म-लोप/संयोगः। अन्यत्र समास-प्रधान पदानि।
Related Themes: Agni Purana 87 (Mantra-kavaca and yoga physiology section)
FAQs
It gives a Śaiva kavaca-style praise-mantra structured into twelve pādas and also names technical mantra elements (bīja markers like bindu) along with yogic subtle-body items (nāḍīs and vāyus) used in protective and meditative practice.
In one compact passage it combines devotion (Śiva-stuti), ritual technology (kavaca/mantra/bīja terminology), and yogic physiology (nāḍī–vāyu taxonomy), illustrating how the Agni Purāṇa integrates liturgy, tantra-like mantra theory, and yoga science.
Reciting/using the kavaca-mantra frames Śiva as the all-pervading, eternal refuge; aligning the practitioner’s mind with dhyāna (meditation as ‘food’) is presented as protective and stabilizing, supporting purity, steadiness, and yogic attainment.